Portable electric tool handle assemblies



June 21, 1955 HAPPE 2,711,461

PORTABLE ELECTRIC TOOL HANDLE ASSEMBLIES Filed Dec. 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E -Q T up INVENTOR. Reyna/d Happe BY 0 1 v 4 WITNESS j ATTORNEY June 21, 1955 R. HAPP:

PORTABLE ELECTRIC TOOL HANDLE ASSEMBLIES Filed Dec. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-She et 2 INVENTOR. Reyna/d Happe WITNESS Ki ATTORNEY parts and so secures the switch firmly within the handle enclosure. It will be noticed that no screw-fastenings penetrating or tapped into the switch body are necessary with this construction. y

- The cover part 19 is formed with aslotted portion 44 through which the trigger 30 reaches for external manipulation thereof.

The switch is formed with a rigid central insulating barrier 45, terminal lugs 46, 47 and outer flexible insulating barriers 48 and 49, as best seen in Fig. 2. External conductors 50, S1 and 52 are cabled and enter the handle through a strain-relief bushing 53. Conductor S is the safety ground lead and terminates in a terminal 54 secured by screw 55 to the handle part 18. Conductor 51 is a line lead and terminates in a conventional connector 56 which is pushed onto and frictionally engages the switch terminal lug 46. The other line lead 52 passes upward in the handle where it is joined to a motor lead 57 by means of a conventional solderless wire connector k 58. The other motor lead Q is positioned behind the switch and terminates in a push-on connector 60 which frictionally engages the switch terminal lug 47.-

- The fact that, in this construction, the switch may be handled as a detached element, makes it a simple task to slip the connectors onto the lug terminals while the switch is completely external to the handle. Further, with the switch entirely removed and with the cover 19 off, easy access is provided for applying the wire connector 58 and the ground screw 55. 7

Attention is now directed to Fig. 4 where it will be seen that a saw-grip handle is attached to the same tool body as above described with respect to the pistol-grip handle. The saw-grip handle, which is partially split longitudinally, comprises a first or body part 61 and a second or cover part 62 held together by screws 63. The body part 61 is secured to the bearing bracket 13 by screws 64 and 65 which are tapped into the same holes which received the screws 22 inthe case of the pistolgrip handle of Fig. l.

The body part 61 is formed as a hollow shell with two limb portions 66 and 67 and is contoured to flow into the cylindrical motor housing which it jioins in the same plane as was the case with the pistol-grip handle above described. Two boss portions 68 and 69 are formed on the interior wall of the body part 61 as seen best in Fig. 5. The boss portions 68 and 69 contain pockets 70 and 71 respectively which receive the lugs 2828 of the switch. The cover part 62 is formed with a single fiat boss portion 72, which, when the handle parts are assembled together, maintains pressure on the switch to keep the lugs 28-28 seated in the pockets 70 and 71. The cover part 62 is also formed with an aperture '73 which receives the lock-button bearing 36 in close-fitted engagement to complete the firm securement of the switch within the handle by the normal art of assembling the handle cover and without resort to any special switchpenetrating fastenings.

The line cord, ground and motor leads are connected as described above with reference to the pistol-grip except for minor changes in. length and positioning. The motor leads 57 and 59 are brought down behind the switch in the channel formed between, the two bosses 68v and 69 as seen best in Fig. 5.

The trigger reaches through a slot formed by mating, cut-away portions 74 and 75 of the body part 61and the cover part 62 respectively.

The extremely open access to the interior of the handle part 61 with the cover part 62 removed makes for easy arrangement and connection of the leads. As was the case with the pistol-grip handle, assembly, the frictiongrip connectors 56 and are pushed onto the switch lugs 46 and 47 with the switch removed from the handle ,interior which afiords complete visibility and inspection of the parts so joined. The switch is then placed in the handle part 61 with the lugs 28-28 positioned in engage merit with the pockets 69 and 70. The cover part 62 is then put on with the lock-button bearing 36 located in the aperture 73, and the screws 63 tightened.

The production advantages of the handle assembly according to this invention are derived from the accessibility for manipulation, the visibility for inspection, the use of simple guiding elements'for positioning and the requirement of stocking only asingle type of switch for two distinct types of assembly.

Having thus set forth the nature I claim herein is:

'1. In a'portable electric drill, a handle having a body part and a cover part, a switch, a trigger 'operatively secured to said switch, a-lockrbutton anda lock-button bearing carried by said switch, positioning lugs secured to said switch, receiving pockets in said handle to accommodate said lugs in seated engagement to align the switch, and an apertured portion in said handle for receiving of the invention, what said'lock-button bearing and cooperating therewith to retain saidswitch in said handle in the normal assembled condition of the parts.

2. In a portable electric drill, a handle having a body part and a removable cover part, a snap-action switch having a movable trigger portion and a stationary body portion, a tubular bearing element secured to said'switch body portion, a lock-button secured for reciprocatory movement within said bearing element, spaced lugs secured to said switch body portion, depressions in said handle body part for receiving said lugs in ready-fitted engagement, and a cut-out portion in said handle cover part for fitting closely over said bearing element when the cover part is assembled to the body part of said handle.

3. In a portable hand-controlled electric tool adapted to receive either one of two handles in fitted engagement, a handle having a body portion and a cover portion, a switch assembly for said handle comprising a snap switch, a trigger carried by said switch, a lockbutton for locking said trigger, a bearing element carried by said switch for supporting the lock-button for slidable engagement, and a cut-out portion in said handle for embracing said bearing element to secure the switch within the handle by the act of assembling the cover and body portions to form the handle.

4. In a portable hand-controlled electric tool having a motor housing, a handle removably secured to said motor housing, said handle being'split to form a body part and a cover part, motor leads from the motor housing and external leads passing through said handle being accessible for connection with the cover part removed, a snap-action switch carrying a trigger and a lock-button. a pocket formed in the handle for receiving said switch,- hollow stud means secured to said sw itch, and a'cut-out portion in said handle for receiving said stud means to retain the switch. within the handle pocket, said hollow stud means serving as a bearing guide for containing s'aid' lock-button.

5. A handle assembly for a portable electric tool having a motor housing, comprising a body part detachably secured to said motor housing, a cover part detachably secured to said body part, a snap-action switch having a stationary body portion and a slidable trigger portion, spaced positioning lugs and a hollow stud secured to the switch body, a lock-button confined for slidable movement within said stud, pocket means formed in said handle body for receiving said switch. lugs for position alignment of said switch body, andcut-out means in said handle cover for receiving saidstud in close-fitting engagement to secure the switch in said handle by the act of assembling the handle cover.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the handle cover is formed with an apertured portion for receiving the trigger portionofsaid switch.

7; A handle assembly for a-portable electric tool having a motor and'a motor housing-comprising a body part detachably secured to said motor housing, a cover part detachably secured to said body part,,a snap-action switch having a stationary body portion and a slidable trigger portion, spaced lugs and a hollow stud secured to the switch body, a lock-button confined for slidable movement within said stud, pocket means formed in said handle body for receiving said switch lugs for position alignment of said switch body in said handle, a line cord, an apertured portion in said handle for receiving the line cord, and cut-out means in said handle cover for receiving said stud in close-fitting engagement to secure the switch in said handle pocket by the act of assembling the handle cover.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which current-conducting leads from the motor and from the line-cord are provided with terminals for frictionally securing said leads to said switch prior to the assembly of said switch in the handle.

9. In a portable electric tool having an electric motor and current-conducting leads connected thereto, a hollow handle assembly detachably secured to said tool comprising a main part formed with a cavity, a removable cover part formed with a cut-out portion, a switch, lugs on said switch for aligning same within said cavity, a hollow stud secured to said switch for engaging said cut-out portion to secure the switch within the handle, said hollow stud also forming a bearing bushing for a reciprocatable lock-button which is thus made accessible for operation from the exterior of said handle, a linecord having leads terminating within said handle, and riction means for connecting said motor leads and linecord leads to said switch in the unassembled condition of the switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,487,011 Wilhide Nov. 1, 1949 

